Athens/Ben Epps Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Athens, Georgia 30603
Wednesday, April 13, 1988 19:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT OF A CESSNA 170A HAD DEPARTED ALBANY, GA VFR WITH NO FLT PLAN FOR ATHENS, GA. A CESSNA R172K FROM THE ATHENS AIRPORT WAS ENGAGED IN LOCAL FLYING. THE 172 RETD FROM DOING AIRWORK AND WAS MAKING A FULL STOP LDG. DURING HIS LANDING ROLL THE PLT REPTD THAT HIS AIRPLANE SUDDENLY YAWED 90 DEGS TO THE LEFT AND SKIDDED DOWN THE RUNWAY TO A STOP. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE EXITED HIS AIRPLANE HE SAW THE 170 RESTING ON HIS TAIL. THE 170 PLT STATED THAT HE STARTED CALLING ATHENS ATCT ABOUT 10 MILES OUT AND CONTINUED REPTG HIS POSITION UNTIL 1/2 MILE FINAL. THE PLT REPTD THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE 172 AS IT WAS DIRECTLY BELOW HIM. HE STATED THAT HIS AIRPLANE SETTLED ONTO THE 172 DURING HIS FLARE FOR LDG. THE VFR CHART, CURRENT AT THE TIME DEPICTED ATHENS AS A CONTROLLED FIELD WITH AN APT TRAFFIC AREA ALTHOUGH THE TABLE IN THE CHART LEGEND INDICATED THAT THE ATCT WAS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE TOWER HAD BEEN CLOSED SINCE 1981.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/13/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ATHENS
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30603
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ATHENS/BEN EPPS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AHN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 807
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1925 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID AHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 807
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1650
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 660
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 13 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1840
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36527
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N1213D N736LL
NTSB Number ATL88LA141A ATL88LA141B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA CESSNA
Aircraft Model 170A R172K
Aircraft Series Identifier 170A R172K
Aircraft Serial Number 19767 R1722611
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 11 1988 12:00AM Jun 5 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15 55
Airframe Hours 2812 1025
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER H KLUSSMANN ROBERT T JACOB
Aircraft Owner Street Address HEDGEHOG HOLLOW 1616 BEAVERDAM RD
Aircraft Owner City BRADFORD WINTERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State PA GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 16701 30683
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name WALTER H. KLUSSMANN ROBERT T. JACOB
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address HEDGEHOG HOLLOW 1616 BEAVER DAM ROAD
Operator City BRADFORD WINTERVILLE
Operator State PA GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 16701 30683
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No Yes
Departure Airport Code ABY
Departure City ALBANY
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1715 1830
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing Landing
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27 27
Runway Length 5000 5000
Runway Width 100 100
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --